Lost Your Keys? Rekey or Replace: Which Makes Sense

These aren't the same service, and picking the wrong one wastes money. Here's how to decide.

What rekeying actually does

A locksmith changes the internal pin configuration of your existing lock so old keys no longer work, without replacing the lock hardware itself.

Why rekeying is usually the smarter choice

It's typically faster and cheaper than full replacement while achieving the same security goal — old keys become useless.

When replacement makes more sense

If your lock is old, damaged, or you want to upgrade to a higher security grade or smart lock, full replacement makes more sense than rekeying an outdated lock.

Consider all your locks, not just one

If keys were lost or stolen (not just misplaced at home), consider rekeying every exterior lock that shared the same key, not just the front door.

Moving into a new home?

Rekeying (not just replacing) is standard advice for anyone moving into a home where you don't know how many copies of the existing keys exist.